Geelong,
Australia, February 27th, 2013:Viking Air of
Victoria, BC, Canada andMalaysia Airlines, of
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, have signed an agreement for six DHC-6 Twin Otter
Series 400 aircraft for operation by Malaysia Airlines’ subsidiary, MASwings.MASwings will become the first
Malaysian-based operator of the new Viking Twin Otter Series 400, making it the
nineteenth country to be added to the expanding global customer list.

The six new Series
400 Twin Otters are scheduled for delivery between 2013 and 2014, and will be utilized for regional commuter operations
based in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.The new
aircraft will be added to MASwings’
existing fleet of legacy Twin Otter aircraft, which have a 25 year proven track
record for reliability, durability and suitability with MASwings’ theatre of
operations in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak, the two Malaysian states in
Borneo.

The Series 400 Twin Otters will be
configured with a fully IFR Honeywell Primus Apex digital avionics suite,
complete with two primary and one secondary GPS backed navigation system,
Flight Management System TAWS, TCAS I, and EGPWS.With this aircraft purchase, MASwings will be
the launch airline for Latitude Technologies SkyNode and IONode, an Iridium satellite
communication package with WiFi enabled flight data acquisition, recording and reporting
aircraft trend monitoring system.Also included in
the six aircraft purchase agreement are flight and maintenance training, along
with a comprehensive spares support package.

Datuk Capt Mohd Nawawi Hj Awang, CEO of
MASwings, commented that “as a long time legacy aircraft operator, the Viking
Series 400 won us over because of its exceptional performance, great operating
economics, and the additional safety features offered by the integrated digital
avionics suite. With the new satellite
based navigational facilities fitted onboard, the operational and safety level
will be greatly enhanced.”

Robert Mauracher, Viking vice president
Business Development and general manager Maintenance Repair Organization,
commented “Viking is particularly pleased to add Malaysia Airlines and MASwings
to the Series 400 operator family.As
our first Flag carrier, Malaysia Airlines has once again confirmed the Viking
Series 400 Twin Otter as the best choice for utility regional transport in
support of remote communities.”

With Twin Otter
Series 400 in operation in 14 countries and a backlog exceeding $400M, the Series
400 is now confirmed as the best selling next generation19 passenger aircraft
available today.Viking provides OEM
support for the worldwide fleet of de Havilland legacy aircraft (DHC-1 through
DHC-7) and forms part of Westerkirk Capital Inc, a Canadian private investment
firm with substantial holdings in the hospitality, aviation, and real estate
sectors.

Kenn Borek's C-GKBR is currently on its delivery flight back to Seaborne Airlines in Saint Croix following overhaul in Calgary, AB. The aircraft had arrived Calgary on 30-Sep-2012.

Replacing C-GKBR in the Seaborne fleet (from Sep-2012 through Feb-2013) was MSN 287 C-GKBV. It is expected that it (or perhaps another airframe) will route back from Saint Croix to Calgary once C-GKBR has safely arrived.

Although there is currently no record of a flight plan available, presumably C-GKBG flew Liberia, Costa Rica (MRLB) to Brownsville, TX (KBRO) on 20-Feb-2013. The aircraft originally departed from Calgary to Antarctica on 08-Oct-2012.

C-FGON has been under overhaul by Rocky Mountain Aircraft in Springbank, where it had arrived on 01-Oct-2012. It was seen shortly thereafter with the wings removed prior to entering the hangar. Today, following completion of the work at Springbank the aircraft was flown to Mena, AR for repainting.

N52FW has departed the Rocky Mountain Aircraft facility in Springbank, AB after having arrived there on 01-Feb-2013. I would expect the aircraft will continue on to it's base at Shelton's Sanderson Field (KSHN) after clearing U.S. Customs at Boeing Field.

Once again has been noted operating from Arecibo, PR (TJAB) as of 15-Feb-2013, instead of it's regular home at the Skydive Chicago airport in Ottawa, IL. The aircraft was also in Arecibo for the same period in 2012 for XtremeDivers boogie which runs 13/17-Feb-2013.

Noted at the Kenn Borek Air hangar in Calgary on 10-Feb-2013 is the fuselage below, which likely arrived via shipping container. Trans Maldivian Airways colours can be made out below the yellow sprayover, and damage is visible near the nose. Given the above information, my guess would be MSN 454, the former 8Q-TMT which was damaged at the Conrad Maldives Rangali resort on 09-Jul-2012.

Monday, 4 February 2013

An equity fund managed by Blackstone on behalf of it's equity partners has acquired a controlling interest in both of the Maldives based Twin Otter operators, MAT and TMA. Maldivian Air Taxi founder Lars Erik Neilsen and Trans Maldivian majority shareholders Lars Petre and Hussain Afeef retain substantial shareholdings, and will continue to play significant roles in the company, including serving on the Board of Directors.

The airline's combined fleet will include 44 Twin Otters, operating over 100,000 flights per year, and employ over 900 people.

Sunday, 3 February 2013

Following work completed at San Bernardino, CA (KSBD) N752RT returned to the Ikhana facility in Murietta-French Valley, CA (F70).

On 02-Feb-2013 the aircraft arrived at Homestead Air Reserve Base, FL (KHST) on delivery to the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. Homestead has been the official location of the team's winter training for the past four years.

N718KW is returning to the U.S. as it arrives Brownsville, TX today before continuing on to Addison, TX. Normally based at the Warren-owned island of Barbareta, Honduras (near Roatan) the aircraft returned to Texas this time last year as well. In 2012 it arrived from Veracruz on 13-Feb-2012 and departed back to Honduras on 03-Mar-2012.

As can be seen in the photo below, C-GBEB has been under a lengthy rebuild by Rocky Mountain Aircraft at Springbank. The aircraft stalled and crashed into trees on approach to Hook Lake, NT on 16-Jul-2008.

Given the recent registration again, it is presumably nearing completion.

Noted over Iceland 29/30-Jan-2013, and at Prestwick, UK (EGPK) 31-Jan-2013. Last year about this time N615AR was on a contract in Australia, which ended on 14-Apr-2012 when it positioned back to Grand Junction, CO (KGJT). By mid-2012 it was working primarily out of Hagerstown, MD (KHGR).

Lost contact while flying from South Pole Station to Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica on 23-Jan-2013; ELT location was determined 24-Jan-2013, and the wreckage was located 26-Jan-2013 at the 13,000ft level on Mount Elizabeth. Sadly, there were no survivors amongst the three onboard.

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